Life-saving station.



PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

F. G. MARTIN. LIFE SAVING STATION. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1906.

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v ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS co., wAsHmaroN. D. c.

'No. 859,001. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

' F. G. MARTIN.

LIFE SAVING STATION. APPLICATION FILED NOV: 3,1906.

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'INVENTOH A TTOHNEYS THE NORRIS PETER: co., wAsumm'qn, 0. c,

PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

I. G. MARTIN. LIFE SAVING STATION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3,1906- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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FRANCIS O. MARTIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIFE-SAVING STATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application lilo. November 3,1906. Serial No. 341,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS C. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Coney Island, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Life-Saving Station, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to life-saving stations, and the object 01 the invention is to produce a floating abode for life savers which is provided with means for housing a life boat and for launching the same quickly, without danger of capsizing. The arrangement is such that the life-saving station also constitutes a lighthouse.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the station, taken substantially on the line 11 of Fig. 2, but upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 2 is a plan of the station, upon a slightly reduced scale; Fig. 3 is a side elevation on the same scale as Fig. 2, a part of the structure being shown in cross section and the tower being represented as broken away", this view is substantially a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional plan through the lower portion of the structure; this view is upon the same scale as Fig. 1.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the invention, reference should be had to a certain patent No. 639,179, issued to me December 12, 1899. This patent discloses a float which is adapted to be anchored on the beach and which is provided with an oil reservoir from which the oil may be ejected for the purpose of calming the waters in the neighborhood of the beach. The present invention employs a float of the same general structure as that described in the said patent, but contemplates improvements which transform the float into a life-saving station, and enable it to I carry a life-boat.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the body of the float, the rear portion of which is of substantially rectangular form, as indicated. The sides 2 of this float consist of flat plates, and the forward portion of the float is formed into a bow 3, presenting an inclined cover plate 4. This float is adapted to be anchored in the siu'f near the beach, for which purpose the bow plate 4 is provided with anchor chains 5 passing around guide sheaves 6 and affording means for anchoring the float in the manner described in the patent referred to above. v

The body of the float is formed with floors 7 and vertical partitions 8 which divide the upper portion of the body into rooms constituting living apartments for the crew of the station. Below the main floor or deck 7, a reservoir 9 is provided which is adapted to be filled with oil, as indicated, and the flow of this oil from the reservoir is controlled by a suitable valve 10. The rear side of the body 1 is open, and the lower central portion of the same is formed into a pocket or boathouse 11 in which a lifeboat 12 is received. This boathouse 11 presents a floor or deck 13 which inclines downwardly toward the rear and on this deck there is placed a cradle 14 which is adapted to be hauled up into the upper portion of the boat-house by means of a suitable Windlass 15 disposed in the forward portion of the body, the said Windlass being provided with a chain 16 which is attached to the cradle as indicated. The cradle 14 is preferably mounted on wheels 17 so as to facilitate its being moved up or down.

The upper portion of the body 1 is provided with a substantially cylindrical hood 18, and from this hood a tower 19 projects upwardly. This tower is of suflicient dimension to receive a spiral staircase 20, which enables members of the crew to ascend to the position of the light 21 which is carried at the top of the tower in the manner indicated in Fig. 1.

In order to facilitate the launching of the life-boat when a distress signal has been seen, the side walls of the boat-house 11 are provided with inwardly projecting landing decks 22. These decks may be reached through doorways formed in the partitions 8 inclosed by suitable doors 8. On each side of the boat-house 11 the body of the float is provided with trimming tanks 23 which are adapted to. receive a quantity of water for depressing the float when desired. In addition to the light 21, in practice the float will be provided with deck lights showing the starboard and port so as to indicate the position in which the float is anchored. It should be understood that the float would be anchored sufliciently far from the shore to provide a proper depth for floating the life-boat. The inclined bow plate 4 protects the body of the float from the surf, and it will, of course, be understood that the water within the rear of the float will be comparatively still. When the weather is unusually rough, a quantity of oil from the reservoir 9 may be allowed to flow out into the water, and the quieting effect of this oil will enable the boat to be launched with less danger. By means of the Windlass 15, the boat may be readily launched, as it will be understood that when the chain 16 is paid out the cradle and the boat will recede down the inclined deck 13 until the boat floats off of the cradle. In bringing the boat back into position, it will be brought immediately over the cradle and the cradle and the boat will be pulled upwardly until the boat is raised out of the water and hauled into substantially the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4. v

The inclined floor of the boat-house constitutes a marine railway for hauling the life-boat out. The

ife-boat will be a power boat and the power of the n1a chinery will be snflicient to haul it out quickly or launch it.

The search-light is employed principally in searching the coast to find wrecks, and will be used to light the course of the lite-boat in proceeding to the Wreck.

Anchor chains 5" are provided, which carry anchors and extend toward the shore as shown; these chains hold the float from being carried to sea by undertow or by a seapuss.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lifesaving station consisting of a float adapted to be anchored in the surf, having a boat-house formed therein with means for launching a boat therefrom, said float having living apartments for the life-saving crew, and an oil reservoir tor quieting the water when launching the boat.

2. A lifesaving station consisting of a float adapted to be anchored in the surf and having a boat-house in which a boat may be launched in the rear side of said float remote from the sea, said boat-house having inwardly projecting landing decks and having an inclined floor and a cradle adapted to move up and down on said floor and carrying a life-boat.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS C. MARTIN. Witnesses F. D. AMMEN, JNo. M. Rr'r'rnR. 

